Isabelle Weidemann of Canada in action.PHIL NOBLE/Reuters
Canada has its first medal of the Beijing Winter Olympics, a bronze for long-track speed skater Isabelle Weidemann.
The 26-year-old from Ottawa choked back tears as she pulled off her hood and goggles after crossing the finish line in the 3,000-metre race Saturday afternoon in Beijing in 3 minutes 58.64 seconds.
This is Weidemann’s second Olympic Games, but it’s her first medal, and the first for a Canadian woman on the long track since the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. She raced to a painful fourth-place performance at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, so achingly close to the podium.
“There was so much work that’s gone into the last four years. Not just physically for me, but mental performance and recovery, all these little aspects,” Weidemann said after the race. “But to make that jump [from fourth], it really solidified for me that the work wasn’t for nothing.”
Weidemann joins Kristina Groves (2010) and Cindy Klassen (2006 and 2010) as the only Canadian women to earn Olympic medals in the 3,000-metre event.
Weidemann happens to share a connection with Groves. “She’s my hometown hero. I grew up skating in the same town, the same club,” Weidemann said after the race. “She’s been an idol of mine for a very long time, I had posters of her on my wall. So, yeah, it’s very special.”
Weidemann was up against some blazing fast competition in this Olympic event. Irene Schouten of the Netherlands smashed a 20-year-old Olympic record en route to winning gold (3:56.93), while Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida earned silver (3:58.06).
The original record holder, German legend Claudia Pechstein, also took part in Saturday’s race. Now 49, Pechstein, who is the oldest woman to compete at a Winter Games, finished last of the 20 skaters (4:17.16). Pechstein becomes just the second athlete – and first woman – to compete in eight Winter Games. She will turn 50 two days after the Beijing Games close. A holder of nine Olympic medals, Pechstein held that 3000-metre record since the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics.
Isabelle Weidemann smiles from the podium after winning the bronze medal in the women's 3,000 metre race.Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press
Saturday’s race was the first event inside the National Speed Skating Oval to kick off competition on the first official day of the Beijing Games. Better known as the Ice Ribbon, the huge oblong-shaped building is the only newly built ice venue for these Olympics, marked by the unique spirals of light on its white-bright ceiling.
A smattering of local mask-wearing spectators spotted the pastel-coloured seats inside the stadium, placing themselves a small distance apart. They were treated to a light show halfway through the race day on Saturday.
In the 3,000-metre event, the women register their times by racing in pairs. While they are gliding across the ice, they are grinding through seven-and-a-half gruelling laps on the 400-metre oval, grimacing as the lactic acid burns in their legs. Their coaches bellow from the side of the ice.
Weidemann was in the second-last pairing of the afternoon. She raced against Norway’s Ragne Wiklund in her pairing, and the 6-foot-2 Canadian pulled into first place among all skaters to that point on the day, as she took it to another gear in the final couple of laps.
“Usually I skate a little bit conservative. I tend not to skate too aggressive. I knew the ice wasn’t going to be forgiving out there today,” Weidemann said. “You have to be able to fight in the last few laps. I wanted to make sure I didn’t burn too many bridges. I’m happy with it.”
Weidemann, who trains at the Oval in Calgary, was joined by her two close friends and training mates in the event. Valérie Maltais, of Saguenay, Que., placed 12th in 4:04.27, while Ivanie Blondin, also of Ottawa, finished 14th in 4:06.40.
Weidemann’s bronze is expected to be the first of a string of medals for Canadian speed skaters in Beijing.
On Monday, Dutch-Canadian speed skater Ted-Jan Bloeman will compete in the men’s 5,000-metre race for Canada, an event in which he earned a silver medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. He’s also projected for the podium in the 10,000-metre race. Laurent Dubreuil is thought to be a medal contender in the 500 metres.
She, Maltais and Blondin will compete together in the team pursuit on Feb. 15. Blondin is also expected to pick up a medal in the mass start event. Weidemann also still has the 5,000-metre event.
“I’m very overwhelmed, for sure. But a good feeling,” said Weidemann about her expression as she finished the race. “I’m just so proud to be able to bring home a medal for Canada.”
Our Olympic team has a daily newsletter that lands in your inbox every morning during the Games. Sign up today to join us in keeping up with medals, events and other news.
Rachel Brady